Storage tub with access panel for a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle component includes a tub configured to store cargo and an access panel configured to cover at least a portion of the bay defined by the vehicle. A living hinge couples the tub to the access panel. All of the tub, the access panel, and the living hinge are monolithically formed in a common mold, such as using gate sequenced injection molding. The component may include side portions secured to the tube. The living hinge may include a first portion connecting a first side portion to the access panel and a second portion connecting a second side portion to the access panel. The tub may be detached from the access panel between the first and second side portions. An upper edge of the tube may have a dust seal secured thereto that engages a cover, e.g., hood, configured to cover the bay.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle component comprising:
 a tub configured to store cargo;   an access panel configured to cover at least a portion of a bay defined by a vehicle; and   a living hinge coupling the tub to the access panel, wherein the tub, the access panel, and the living hinge are monolithically formed in a common mold.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , wherein the tub defines a storage volume of at least 1.6 cubic feet. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , further comprising a dust seal extending around a perimeter of the tub. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first side portion extending outwardly from the tub; and   a second side portion extending outwardly from the tub, the tub being positioned between the first side portion and the second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion being monolithically formed with the tub in the common mold, the living hinge comprising a first hinge portion connecting the first side portion to the access panel and a second hinge portion connecting the second side portion to the access panel.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle component of  claim 4 , wherein the tub is detached from the access panel between the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle component of  claim 4 , wherein the access panel has a first thickness, the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion have a second thickness at thinnest points thereof, the second thickness being less than 0.25 times the first thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle component of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a first flange extending between the first hinge portion and the first side portion; and   a second flange extending between the second hinge portion and the second side portion;   wherein the first flange and the second flange have a third thickness that is less than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.   
     
     
         8 . A vehicle comprising:
 a chassis having one or more drive units and a plurality of wheels mounted thereto;   one or more panels defining an exterior of the vehicle mounted to the chassis, the one or more panels defining a bay;   a cover having a closed position covering the bay;   one or more functional components mounted within the bay; and   a molded component positioned in the bay, the molded component comprising:
 a tub configured to store cargo; 
 an access panel; and 
 a living hinge coupling the tub to the access panel, the access panel being rotatable from a closed position in which the access panel covers the one or more functional components and an open position in which the one or more functional components are accessible. 
   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more functional components include one or more fluid reservoirs. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle comprises a windshield, the access panel being positioned between the windshield and the tub. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle comprises a leaf guard positioned at a lower edge of the windshield, the access panel being removably latched to the leaf guard. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more panels form a grill and left and right front quarter panels of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , further comprising a dust seal extending around a perimeter of the tub, the dust seal positioned to engage the cover when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the tub defines a storage volume of at least 1.6 cubic feet. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the molded component comprises:
 a first side portion extending outwardly from the tub to a perimeter of the bay; and   a second side portion extending outwardly from the tub to the perimeter of the bay, the tub being positioned between the first side portion and the second side portion, the living hinge comprising a first hinge portion connecting the access panel to the first side portion and a second hinge portion connecting the second side portion to the access panel;   wherein the tub is detached from the access panel between the first side portion and the second side portion.   
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the access panel has a first thickness, the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion have a second thickness at thinnest points thereof, the second thickness being less than 0.25 times the first thickness. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first flange extending between the first hinge portion and the first side portion; and   a second flange extending between the second hinge portion and the second side portion;   wherein the first flange and the second flange have a third thickness that is less than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.   
     
     
         18 . A method for accessing a vehicle comprising:
 opening a cover from a cover closed position to a cover open position, the cover covering a bay defined by one or more body panels of a vehicle when in the cover closed position; and   opening an access panel from a panel closed position to a panel open position, the access panel being part of a molded component including a tub configured to store cargo, the molded component including a living hinge coupling the tub to the access panel, opening the access panel including bending the living hinge;   wherein one or more functional components of the vehicle positioned in the bay are exposed when the access panel is open.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein opening the access panel comprises unlatching the access panel from a structure within the bay. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the molded component comprises:
 a first side portion extending outwardly from the tub to a perimeter of the bay; and   a second side portion extending outwardly from the tub to the perimeter of the bay, the tub being positioned between the first side portion and the second side portion, the living hinge comprising a first hinge portion connecting the access panel to the first side portion and a second hinge portion connecting the second side portion to the access panel;   wherein the tub is detached from the access panel between the first side portion and the second side portion.